By CHRIS LADNER

Well, it's over. Peace at last. After 12 years, 46,000 American lives, countless billions of dollars wasted, and the atrocities and grief that a war never fails to produce, the Vietnam conflict has ended in a draw. This action has proved itself to be one of the most costly actions in American history and perhaps the most controversial. Now that this terrific conflict is over I wonder what is going to become of the scores of men who fled their country and their families for fear of imprisonment when they refused to be drafted into the Army.

For God's sake give them the amnesty they deserve. Haven't they gone through enough? I imagine that the mental anguish of being forced to leave your family and your country is unbearable. In a land where people are supposed to be free and do what, in their mind, is right, they should have the choice of serving in the Armed Forces or not. In my opinion, it does not sound like justice when these lovers of peace are placed in a prison cell for refusing to fight in a war which they do not even believe in.

This is not to say that the draft evaders should be given complete and total

amnesty. Upon their return to this country, I would enroll them in a program that would be somewhat like the WPA program of the thirties. In my plan these draft-dodgers would be compelled to work for the government at a variety of jobs such as construction, office work, mechanics, etc. The length of employment would be determined by the number of years that they had been living in a foreign country. For example, if a dodger had been away since 1969, he would have to work for four years.

Only under extreme cases would pardons be granted. For the comfort of the men employed, work would be given in a area close to them. The question of wages would be answered by giving the workers a salary whose total matches that of people who live in the welfare grants. At the end of their term of employment, assistance would be given to these men in finding a regular job.

In closing, it is my firm belief that my plan would prove beneficial to the greatest number of people, and it would be fairest to those involved in this controversial situation. If a murderer can be given freedom after he has been satisfactorily rehabilitated, why can't a draftdodger? In my opinion, he is a far less serious offender.